Immigrant vote flexes political muscle, sets agenda for passage of just and humane reform and demands stop to raids

WASHINGTON - Under a theme that declared, "A New Day for America, A New Hope for Our Communities," leaders from grassroots immigrant rights organizations from across the nation stood together with renewed hope and sense of opportunity for just and humane immigration reform. The National Capital Immigrant Coalition and the Fair Immigration Reform Movement announced a mass mobilization planned for January 21, 2009 in Washington DC, to welcome the newly inaugurated President Obama.

"The immigrant community has fully embraced the spirit of hope and democracy surrounding this historic election," said Jessica Alvarez, NCIC president, "We will remain active long after the election. Together, NCIC and FIRM, represent millions of Americans that are committed to doing whatever it takes to help the new administration institute immigration reform."

Immigrants were heard loud and clear in this election. The Latino vote alone went up 30% from 2004. Immigrant rights groups will use this political muscle to push for renewed commitment to fixing our nation's broken immigration system and put an immediate stop to the raids that have terrorized immigrant families.

"From New York to California and from Washington to Florida, the immigrant community is becoming more aware of its economic and political power," said Angelica Salas, member of FIRM and executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "Today, we celebrate a new day for politics in America that honors the sanctity of family and hard work by instituting practices of reform, not raids; of hope, not fear; and a better America for everyone who lives here."

In the months leading up to the mobilization, both coalitions will conduct a series of events designed to open the dialogue between policy makers and the community. Immediately, FIRM groups will convene a forum in Washington, DC with the Campaign for Community Values, key policy makers, union leaders and members of the presidential transition team to help shape a progressive agenda that includes immigration reform in the first year.

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The National Capital Immigrant Coalition (NCIC) is a coalition of more than 30 organizations that advocates, educates and mobilizes the immigrant community in the Washington metro area. The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) is a national coalition of community organizations fighting for the fair treatment of immigrants and for just and humane immigration reform on the local, state and federal level.

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